Hydraulic hammers are used on work sites to break up large hard objects before such objects can be moved away. Hydraulic hammers may be mounted to back hoes or excavators, or may be hand-held. Typically, the hammer assembly is powered by either a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure source. During a work or power stroke, high fluid pressure is applied to a first shoulder of a piston, thereby driving the piston in a forward direction. The piston then strikes a work tool, which is driven in the forward direction thereby causing a work tip of the tool to strike the rock, concrete, asphalt or other hard object to be broken up. During a return stroke, fluid pressure is applied to a second shoulder of the piston in order to return the piston to its original position.
A hammer assembly may have an accumulator for augmenting the strike power of the piston on the work tool. The accumulators provide for a biasing force to the piston towards the work tool. Generally, such accumulators have a pressurized gas, for example nitrogen, that is contained in a chamber of the hammer. On disassembly of the hammer for service or maintenance, the gas is released from the chamber. For releasing the gas inside the chamber special tools may be required. Generally, a gas valve is provided on the hammer that may be opened using a tool to release the gas inside the chamber before the hammer is disassembled. The present disclosure addresses one or more issues with gas pressure during disassembly of hammers.